7 ways to improve your type skills.
We’ve been having a think about some key things for you to keep in mind when working with type.
Incorrect spelling and poorly laid out text can have serious consequences, so get across these main points and keep them in mind next time you’re working with type.
1. Stop justifying your text.
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Justifying your paragraph text like this turns the word block into a texture. The eye looks at it and appreciates it’s aesthetic — the way it looks, instead of it’s content — what it’s communicating (the important part).
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By simply left-aligning your text, you make it easier on the readers eye. The varied length of text actually gives your eye more distinction between the lines, thus making it easier to keep track of where you’re at and faster to read.
2. Add spacing between your paragraphs.
A sentence carrying over to the next line will show your line-height.
It’s recommended that the paragraph spacing, as shown by the space above this paragraph, is around 1.5 times the line-height.
3. Have no more than 80 characters per line.
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Just because you have the space to have a wide paragraph, doesn’t mean you should. The rule of thumb is to have no more than 80 characters on it (or approx. 15 words).
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Try keeping your paragraph width short, around 8 words long (or 45 to 77 characters including spaces).
Additionally, when you have a lot of text to work with, try creating columns. Your reader will thank you (subconciously).
4. Check for orphans + widows.
A widow is a very short line (usually one word), at the end of a paragraph or column. Widows leave too much white space between paragraphs or at the bottom of a column. This interrupts the reader’s eye and diminishes
readability. ——— Widow
An orphan is a word or very short line that appears at the beginning of a
Widows and orphans result in poor horizontal alignment at the top or bottom of the column.
When you have orphans or widows in your text, try making the column wider, adjust the font size, tighten the letter-spacing, or adjust the column height.
5. Spel check.
Check the wording by reading slowly, but check the spelling by reading the sentence backwards, stopping at each word. By reading backwards, you prevent your eyes from skimming.
6. Don’t use too many fonts.
A good rule of thumb
Start by sticking to just two fonts with one way of emphising text. e.g. Use italics, or underline.
7. Give your type some room to breathe.
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Having your letter-spacing too tight reduces legibility and makes for a horrible reading experience. If you have too much text to fit on a page, try reducing the font size first before reducing the letter-spacing.
When the line height is too short, the paragraph becomes much more like a graphic element rather than a piece of text (much like when you justify your text).
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Give your letters some space and it will increase the speed at which you can read it. Add some line height to your text and it will read easier. Don’t over-do it though, the default line-height is around 120% times the font size but the sweet spot is usually between 130% - 150%.
This column of text is actually a smaller font size than the column to the right, yet it is far more readable.
